Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karmøy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,422 in Karmøy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,792 in Karmøy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,161 in Karmøy, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Karmøy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Karmøy is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$25.28 NOK 235

-92.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$102 NOK 945

-81.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$13.41 NOK 125

-44.07%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.88 NOK 45.36

-60.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ฿25.08

$3.12 NOK 29.04

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$2.85 NOK 26.51

-88.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$10.03 NOK 93.2

-78.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$9.37 NOK 87.1

-60.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.19 NOK 20.38

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$3.37 NOK 31.37

-53.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$3.20 NOK 29.75

-63.13%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$4.32 NOK 40.17

-54.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$11.83 NOK 110

35.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$14.67 NOK 136

-78.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$28.42 NOK 264

-61.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.47 NOK 32.25

-24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.46 NOK 22.85

-52.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.25 NOK 30.20

-49.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$4.34 NOK 40.36

-64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.44 NOK 22.73

-43.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.58 NOK 24.01

-54.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$2.79 NOK 25.93

-76.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.88 NOK 17.52

-72.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$13.77 NOK 128

-67.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$18.22 NOK 169

0.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$3.35 NOK 31.12

-46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$3.93 NOK 36.57

-19.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$4.28 NOK 39.80

-78.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$73.7 NOK 686

-74.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$10.28 NOK 95.6

-86.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.40 NOK 13.06

-6.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$47.28 NOK 440

-82.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$2.00 NOK 18.57

-36.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$34.8K NOK 323.6K

-38.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$38.2K NOK 355.1K

-43.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$69.2 ฿2,230

$238 NOK 2,210

-70.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.97 ฿450

$37.95 NOK 353

-63.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$54.9 NOK 510

-67.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$50.2 NOK 467

-15.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$34.73 NOK 323

-80.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$16.37 NOK 152

-63.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$299 ฿9,640

$287 NOK 2,674

4.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$10.0K NOK 93.2K

48.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$95.6 NOK 889

-41.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$51.9 NOK 483

-48.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$109 NOK 1,011

-21.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$151 NOK 1,401

-52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$1,206 NOK 11.2K

-63.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$903 NOK 8,396

-73.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$1,792 NOK 16.7K

-55.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$1,549 NOK 14.4K

-67.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$5,458 NOK 50.8K

-63.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$4,019 NOK 37.4K

-61.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$3,995 NOK 37.2K

-84.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

14.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Karmøy: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $1,206 in Karmøy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 536% higher in Karmøy, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Karmøy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $454 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Karmøy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karmøy costs about 187% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,634 in Karmøy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $287 in Karmøy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Karmøy, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Karmøy at $2,422. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karmøy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,422 in Karmøy. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karmøy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.